Apparatus for handling elongated objects



, April 27, 1954 H. F. SHEKELS APPARATUS FOR HANDLING ELONGATEQ OBJECTS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 19, 1951 H [Mew: #www /TE//fA/a,

H. F. SHEKELS APPARATUS FOR HANDLING ELONGATED OBJECTS April 27, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 19, 1951 Patented Apr. 27, 1954 APPARATUS FOR HANDLING ELONGATED OBJECTS Harold F. Shekels, Pittsburgh, Pa., assigner to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application October 19, 195,1, Serial N o. 252,149

- 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for handling elongated objects.

Prior to the time of my invention elongated objects such as lumber or steel bars, billets, slabs, etc. were lifted and moved about by means of sling chains or belts which were manually wrapped around the elongated objects at several points and then attached to the hooks of a lifting crane. This mode of operation was at best time consuming, troublesome and dangerous. Frequently the slings were improperly applied and the objfcts being handled would slip from the lift creating a hazardous Vcondition for workmen in the area and also causing damage to thel material being handled. This method of handling was particularly troublesome in the transportation of elongated hot steel shapes where the manual application of lifting sling chains around the hot metal Was not only an uncomfortable operation but a very dangerous one as well.

It is accordingly an object of my invention to provide as apparatus for handling elongated objects without the use of manually applied carrying slings.

It is another object of my invention to provide a carrying apparatus for elongated objects whereby the objects may be transported from one point to another and then be automatically unloaded from the carrying apparatus.

These and other objects will become more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view;

Figure 2 is an elevational looking toward the rear of the invention;

Figure 3 is a view taken on the line III-III of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional View taken on the line IV--IV of Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 2 indicates an elongated supporting beam from which are suspended a plurality of U-shaped supporting members 4 arranged in spaced relation. A pair of spaced lifting eyes 6 are attached to and project upwardly from the beam 2. The supports 4 are each connected to the bottom surface of the beam 2 at one end of one leg 8 thereof which is superposed above a lower leg I0. The opening I2 between the two legs is directed transversely of the beam 2, as best shown in Figure 4. The lower leg I serves as the carrying ledge of the apparatus.

A pair of elongated beams I4 are fastened to and extend across the upper surface of the legs 8 of the supports 6 spaced from and parallel to the beam 2 to constitute a platform for a plurality of motors I6 and connected gear reduction units t8. A vertical drive shaft 20 is operatively connected with each of a plurality of gear reduction units and depends therefrom in a plane adjacent the vertical rear portion of each of a plurality of the U-shaped supports 4. The bottom of each of the vertical shafts 20 is held in a bearing 22 which is attached to the rear portion of each of the adjacent lower legs It. A pusher arm 24, which may be arcuate in shape, is connected by one end to each of the shafts 2t at a point adjacent the upper surface of the leg I0 Which supports the one end of the shaft 2t. When in retracted position the pusher arms lie substantially parallel to the beam 2 with the free end of each terminating at a point just short of vthe next adjacent support 4, as shown in solid lines in Figure 3. Rollers 26 may be provided in each of the pusher arms 24; one at the end thereof and one in approximately the center of each. Rotation of the shafts 20 by means of the motors I6, through the gear reduction units I8, moves the pusher arms in an arc to a position substantially normal to the beam 2, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. The motors which may be controlled from a remote position such as the crane cab, not shown, are so connected that they operate simultaneously to cause the pusher arms 24 to move simultaneously. As shown in Figures 1 and 2 the center U-shaped support 4 suspended from the beam is not provided with a vertical shaft adjacent thereto. I have found it preferable to arrange the pusher arms 24 so that those on one side of the center support 4' Work with a clockwise movement and those on the other side of the center support work with a counterclockwise movement. Such opposed movement of the pusher arms minimizes any resultant directional force which may be created if the pusher arms all moved in the same direction.

In operation, all of the pusher arms 24 are in retracted position, as shown in solid lines in Figures 1 and 3, while the elongated objects W are loaded onto the carrying ledges I!! of the U- shaped supports 4. After all the objects are loaded the device is picked up by means of crane hooks 2B, which engage with eyes 6, and moved to another location for subsequent removal of the objects. When the apparatus has reached its destination where the objects are to be unloaded, the motors I6 are energized which, through the gear units I8, rotate the shafts 20 and cause a simultaneous movement of the pusher arms from their retracted position to the fully advanced position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3. The pusher arms, when moving in unis-on from their retracted position to the fully advanced position, bear against the elongated objects W to push them from the carrying ledge l0. The contact rollers 26 are provided to minimize the friction which results from the contact of the pusher arms against the elongated objects.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for handling elongated objects comprising a longitudinal supporting beam, a plurality of U-shape supports suspended from said beam in spaced relation with the openings of each directed transverse of the beam and the parallel legs of each in superposed position, the lower leg of each support constituting a carrying ledge for supporting said elongated objects, an elongated support platform fastened to and extending across the tops of said U-shape supports parallel to said beam, means suspended from said platform for sweeping objects from said carrying ledge in a horizontal plane, and motor means carried by said elongated support platform operatively connected with said sweeping means for operating the same.

2. Apparatus for handling elongated objects comprising a longitudinal supporting beam, spaced lifting hooks attached to and projecting upwardly from said beam, a plurality of U-shape supports suspended from said beam in spaced relation with the openings of each directed trans- 4 versely of said beam and the parallel legs of each in superposed position, the lower leg of each support constituting a carrying ledge for supporting said elongated objects, an elongated support platform fastened to and extending across the tops of said U-shape supports parallel to said beam, a vertical drive shaft suspended from said platform and rotatably disposed adjacent each of a plurality of said supports, a pusher arm keyed onto each of the shafts at a point adjacent the upper surface of the carrying ledge of the U-shape support immediately adjacent the shaft, each of said pusher arms extending to a point short of the next adjacent U-shape support in a plane parallel to the longitudinal aXs of said beam when in retracted position, and motor means mounted on said elongated support platform, said motor means being operatively connected with each of said shafts for rotating the same to thereby move each of said pusher arms areuately in a horizontal plane to a position substantially normal to said beam to sweep the elongated objects from the carrying ledge.

3. Apparatus for handling elongated objects as defined in claim 2 characterized by said pusher arms being arcuate in shape and having at least one roller projecting from the Work-engaging face thereof.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,760,509 Marvel May 27, 1930 2,338,998 Cassens et al. Jan, 1l, 1944 2,468,424 Brauch Apr. 26, 1949 

